Chapter 14

Fang Hao's cold snort echoed throughout the Xiao family, casting a shadow over many hearts.

Almost everyone wore a grave expression, as if a massive mountain were pressing down on their chests, making it hard to breathe.

Even the old patriarch, Xiao Lao Ye, furrowed his brows.

"Heavenly Origin Sect, huh?" Outside the living room, Xiao Yun raised an eyebrow, a glint of sharpness flashing in his eyes.

As a direct descendant of the Xiao family, Xiao Yun was no stranger to the Heavenly Origin Sect.

It was a sect that towered above the kingdom, gathering all kinds of geniuses, with countless powerful figures.

In the eyes of cultivators in the Fengyue Kingdom, the Heavenly Origin Sect was like a sacred place in their hearts.

Although Fang Hao had left, the turmoil in the Xiao family did not stop. The elders gathered to discuss how to deal with the situation, and even a retired grand elder was roused by the severity of the matter.

The old patriarch sat at the head of the meeting hall, with many elders wearing worried expressions, starting to deliberate.

"Now that Fang Hao has been noticed by an elder of the Heavenly Origin Sect, what should we do?"

"If we go against his wishes this time, once he joins the Heavenly Origin Sect, it might truly be the end of our Xiao family." Several elders discussed among themselves, expressing their concerns. To them, the Heavenly Origin Sect was truly terrifying.

At this moment, almost everyone in the Xiao family was gathered outside the meeting hall, paying close attention to the matter.

"Should we give Xiao Yun to the Fang family?" Suddenly, one of the elders spoke up.

Hearing this, the old patriarch's eyes narrowed, like a lion about to pounce, but he did not scold them.

Xiao Yun stood beside his grandfather, feeling indignant when he heard the clan members' discussions, but could only give a bitter smile.

He knew that this matter was no small affair, and if not handled well, it could affect the fate of the entire Xiao family.

It was normal for the clan members to be worried.

"I think this is the only way now. Otherwise, it will be hard to appease the Fang family. It's not worth sacrificing the entire clan for such a waste. As the head of the family, you must prioritize the greater good," an elderly man with white hair and beard nodded in agreement.

"Yes, we must prioritize the greater good."

"Sacrificing Xiao Yun, a waste, to destroy our entire clan is not worth it!" The elders in the living room all echoed in agreement.

In the entire hall, except for a few, almost everyone was shouting to hand over Xiao Yun to quell the Fang family's anger.

"Prioritize the greater good?" Seeing the chorus of agreement, Xiao Yuanshan's eyes darkened, and he coldly snorted, "If that's the case, I'll give up the position of family head. I'll take Yun'er and leave the Xiao family, wandering the world. Let whoever wants to deal with this mess."

"What?" Hearing the old patriarch's words, everyone in the meeting hall was stunned.

"Grand Elder, you are respected and wise. Why don't you take the position?" The old patriarch glanced sideways at the elderly man with white hair and beard.

"I only have a couple of years left to live. How can I take on such a heavy responsibility?" The grand elder's eyes twitched, and he frowned.

"Then, how about you, Elder?" Xiao Yuanshan's eyes shifted, asking another elder.

This person had been advocating handing over Xiao Yun from the beginning.

"How can I, at the peak of the innate realm, control all the factions?" The elder's face twitched.

Xiao Yuanshan suddenly stood up, his eyes flashing with sharpness, and he swept his gaze around, "Whoever dares to step forward, I will immediately step down."

The Xiao family members were stirred by these words.

Xiao Yuanshan was one of the few True Essence Realm cultivators in Ziyun County, extremely powerful. There was no one stronger in the current Xiao family.

It could be said that without Xiao Yuanshan's presence, the Xiao family's business would have been devoured by other clans long ago.

If Xiao Yuanshan really took Xiao Yun far away, how could they stand in Ziyun County?

"The family head is joking. No one is more suitable for this position than you," the people in the meeting hall who had been shouting to hand over Xiao Yun no longer dared to speak, forcing a smile. The current Xiao family could not do without this old man!

Hearing that his grandfather was willing to take him and wander the world at the clan meeting, Xiao Yun was deeply moved.

In this world, so far, only this old man was willing to make such sacrifices for him.

"Damn it, if none of you are willing to take on this responsibility, why are you still complaining?" Seeing the elders with apologetic smiles, Xiao Yuanshan flared his nostrils and couldn't help but curse, "If I, as the head of the Xiao family, can't even protect my own grandson, who will respect us in the future? Can you all live in peace?"

"This..." The elders were speechless.

"A bunch of short-sighted fools!" The old patriarch's eyes flashed with sharpness, scolding, "Why has our Xiao family been able to stand in Ziyun County for hundreds of years? Is it because of luck? Or because we are blessed by our ancestors?"

No one in the meeting hall dared to interrupt, only listening attentively.

Almost everyone in the Xiao family knew that when the old patriarch cursed, he was truly angry, and no one dared to provoke him.

"A clan can only stand firm by being self-reliant and united. Every member must be fearless and unyielding, a man of iron, making others tremble at the mention of our name. Look at you all, what kind of cowards are you?" The old patriarch continued to scold, "Fang Hao is just one person from the Fang family, and you are all scared to death. How will you live in the future?"

"To live well, you must have the courage to stand up!"

Although the old patriarch was scolding, his words were reasonable and struck a chord in everyone's heart.

Especially the young people, who were all full of blood and fire, would not tolerate being bullied.

When Fang Hao provoked the Xiao family, some had wanted to beat him up, but no one among their peers could match him.

"The old patriarch is right. How can the men of our Xiao family lack courage?"

"We must not bow to the Fang family, or we will have no good days ahead." The young people outside the meeting hall couldn't help but shout loudly.

"Tell me, do you want to be slaves to the Fang family, or stand up and fight to defend your dignity?" The old patriarch's eyes swept around, like a general questioning his soldiers, each word striking deep into their hearts.

"Never bow down!" The young people outside shouted, their morale soaring, and no one was willing to bow.

"Do you want to die standing or live like dogs?" The old patriarch nodded in satisfaction and continued.

"Better to die standing than live in humiliation!" The response came from outside, the sound waves filled with blood and fire, as if one could feel the boiling blood of the young people. The atmosphere was infectious, and even those who were initially worried forgot everything, filled with righteous indignation, and refused to accept the oppression of the Fang family.

Under this atmosphere, the elders in the meeting hall began to waver.

"Grandfather is amazing." Xiao Yun shrugged beside him. Although his grandfather had seemed like a rough man earlier, upon reflection, he was very meticulous, quickly silencing the old men who wanted to hand him over.

This approach was better than using force.

After all, they were clan members, and using force would not win their hearts.

"What plans does the family head have to deal with the Fang family?" Although the elders in the meeting hall began to waver, they were still troubled. After all, they had to deal with not only the Fang family but also the elder of the Heavenly Origin Sect behind them.

"I have my plans." The old patriarch said.

"May I ask what plans the family head has?" A few elders smiled awkwardly, trying to ask.

"The Fang family is just one Fang Hao. What's the big deal?" The old patriarch said, "If we have someone from our Xiao family join a major sect like the Heavenly Origin Sect, all problems will be solved. At that time, will we still fear them? The sects cannot interfere in the secular affairs of the kingdoms. As long as we don't provoke them, we'll be fine."

Hearing this, everyone nodded.

Those super sects, towering above the kingdoms, could not act arbitrarily.

If someone attacked a secular cultivator without reason and was discovered by an envoy, the entire sect would suffer.

All of this was to maintain the order of the world. Otherwise, if the sects' powerful figures could kill at will, there would be no peace.

"But joining those major sects is not easy!" A few elders pursed their lips.

Those sects had deep roots and only accepted geniuses. Ordinary people had to go through many selections to even step into the sect.

"Don't worry about that. You can all leave now." Xiao Yuanshan waved his hand and then looked at the young man beside him, "Yun'er, come with me." With that, the old patriarch led the young man out of the meeting hall.

"Is it relying on this waste?" Everyone hesitated, but seeing the old patriarch's attitude, they did not dare to ask more.

Xiao Yun followed the old man, seeing the traces of沧桑on his face, and wondered, "What does Grandfather want to talk to me about?"

From the old man's expression, Xiao Yun knew that solving the crisis brought by the Fang family would not be easy.

The old patriarch led Xiao Yun to the study and took out a black, gleaming iron box from a secret room.

The iron box had mysterious patterns and a lock, making it look very mysterious.

"What is this?" Seeing the iron box, Xiao Yun's heart skipped a beat, feeling that it was somehow related to him.

"This is something your father left behind." The old patriarch gazed at the iron box in his hand, a look of nostalgia on his face.

"Father!" Xiao Yun's heart stirred, his blood boiling, "Father left something for me?"

For these past ten years, Xiao Yun rarely heard news about his parents, and the clan members never mentioned them.

Every time he asked his grandfather, he was told to wait until he reached the innate realm.

Unfortunately, he had been stagnant for eight years and had not asked about it.

"Yes." The old patriarch nodded, "Now it's time to give it to you."

He took out a key and slowly opened the iron box.

Whoosh!

As soon as the iron box was opened, a red light blossomed inside, and a vast, overwhelming aura spread out, making the heart tremble, as if it could swallow one whole, giving a sense of fear and unease.

"What's inside?" Xiao Yun took the iron box and, upon closer inspection, saw an old, yellowed book inside.

"Swallow Heaven and Destroy Gods Technique!" Seeing the words on the book, Xiao Yun's eyes lit up.

The name seemed to indicate an extremely powerful technique!

Just as Xiao Yun was amazed by the name of the book, his eyes flickered, and his heart tightened.

Next to the book was a small, crimson bead, about the size of a fingernail. The vast, overwhelming aura was emanating from this bead. Upon closer inspection, he could even feel a pulse of a heartbeat from the bead.

"What is this bead!" Xiao Yun was excited, sensing that what his father left behind was extraordinary.